Germicidal hospital mat



Jan. 24, 1967 A. F. LORMAN GERMICIDAL HOSPITAL MAT 2 sheets sheet 1 Filed Dec. 25. 1963 M /5 if /6 Q4 J.

INVENTOR,

,4ZF650 E 102444/1 Jan. 24, 1967 A. F. LORMAN 3,300,275

GERMICIDAL HOSPITAL MAT Filed Dec. 25, 19635 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 41/855 E Zfl/d/WA l/ BY WM United States Patent O 3,300,275 GERMICIDAL HOSPITAL MAT Alfred F. Lorman, 303 W. 105th St.,

New York, N.Y. 10025 Filed Dec. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 332,433 4 Claims. (Cl. 2161) This invention relates to a germicidal mat particularly adapted for but not solely limited to use in hospitals at the entrance to an operating room or corridor leading to a series of operating rooms.

It is well recognized that hospitals represent a serious source of infection particularly to patients about to undergo surgery due to the presence of various pathogenic microorganisms and the likelihood of their transmission by movable equipment and/ or personnel. It is particularly important in taking a patient into an operating room on a wheeled hospital bed to avoid bringing sources of infection into the operating room. While some attempts have been made in the past to reduce or minimize the hazards involved there has been no satisfactory solution to this problem.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and effective germicidal mat preferably located at the entrance to an operating room which will kill pathogenic microorganisms to the maximum possible extent.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a specially constructed germicidal mat of relatively simple and effective nature which is located at the entrance to an operating room and which kills pathogenic microorganisms on the wheels or tires of a wheeled tray or hospital bed and also on the shoes of orderlies and other hospital personnel having access to an ope-rating room.

Other and further objects and advantages will be understood and appreciated by those experienced in this field or will be apparent or pointed out hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of a germicidal mat embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevation-a1 view taken through the new germicidal mat and shown associated with rubber approach mats at each end;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken through the right-hand portion of the germicidal mat of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view of the underside of the germicidal mat;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 55 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged partial sectional view of a portion of the new germicidal mat showing the action which occurs when the foot of an orderly or other Weight is applied to the mat; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the new germicidal mat with the rubber extension or approach mats in place and showing a wheeled tray or bed in the act of passing thereover.

The new germicidal mat of the present invention is essentially composed of a comparatively shallow stainless steel tray 10 having lateral flanges 11 projecting outwardly from the upper edges of its vertical sidewall 10, and in which tray a germicidal solution is adapted to be contained, a foam rubber pad 12 having a plurality of holes or apertures 13 therethrough and the upper surface of which is provided with a lineoleum-like surface layer 14- which also has holes or apertures 13 registering with the holes or apertures in the foam rubber pad 12.

The flange 11 on one side of tray 10 is removab'ly received under the free spn'ngy portions of fastening members 15 (FIG. 4) suitably secured to the undersu-rface of ice one of the members of the stainless steel quadrangular frame 16 and the flanges 11 on the other three sides of the tray are held firmly but removably in place by the pivotable elements 17 mounted on strips 18 which are spot welded, riveted, soldered or otherwise secured to the underside of the frame 16 at 19. The :frame 16 is made up of four members of stainless steel which are rigidly secured together in the form of a quadrangle in any suitable manner such as by means of the fastening pieces 20 which are spot welded, riveted, soldered or otherwise secured in position over the four junctions of the frame members on the underside of the frame. On the upper side of the frame 16 friction strips 21 and 22 are adhesively secured to prevent slippage of equipment or personnel passing thereover and to provide good traction and it will be observed from FIGURES 2 and 3 in particular that the frame is so constructed andshaped that it forms inclined ramps 23 so that wheeled equipment can readily pass over the mat in or from any direction. The underside of the tray is likewise provided with one or more friction strips 25 to ensure stability of the mat on the floor and good resistance to slippage especially on waxed or polished floors or surfaces.

Extension or auxiliary rubber approach mats 24 having corrugated or ribbed upper surfaces are disposed with relationship to the germicidal mat as best shown in FIG- URES 2 and 7.

While the germicidal mat may be of any suitable size and shape, it is preferably rectangular and of sufficient size to enable the wheels of the wheeled equipment 26 passing thereover to make at least one complete revolution while still on the germicidally active portion of the mat. The mat is also of sufficient size that personnel walking thereover will place both shoes thereon under normal walking conditions. A preferred size is 47 inches by 56 inches for the overall dimensions of the mat and the exposed active mat surface is preferably inches by 42 inches, but it is to be understood that these dimensions are illustrative or exemplary and constitute no limitation on the invention.

It will further be appreciated that the new germicidal mat of the present invention can be easily and quickly assembled and disassembled so that the pad can be changed when it is dirty or when it is considered that its germicidal action is materially diminished due to use. Usually the pad is changed every two weeks but this depends on the frequency of use.

The various components of the mat can be sterilized so that there will be no microbial addition from the mat itself. The nature of the germicidal solution 27 may vary and is not a limitation on this invention but is preferably a special liquid antibacterial quaternary ammonium compound solution containing a defoaming agent and also a chermicl humectant. Germicidal quaternary ammonium compounds are per se known. Various germicidal solutions may, however, be used which have a wide spectrum of gram-positive and gram-negative bactericidal action.

It will further be observed that the pad fits snugly into the tray and is held firmly in position by overlying portions of the frame. The pad is preferably slightly thicker than the depth of the stray to ensure good action in bringing germicidal liquid up through the holes or apertures when the pad is compressed by the weight of the wheeled hospital equipment or personnel. The various components are held in position during use by the fastening or holding members above described while at the same time making it readily possible to disassemble the various components.

When the wheels of wheeled hospital equipment such as trays and hospitals beds pass over the active portion of the mat the downward pressure exerted on the pad causes .a certain amount of compression as will be understood from FIGURE 6 so that the liquid germicide in the tray passes up through the apertures or holes and comes in contact with the wheels or tires of the equipment passing ithereover so as to coat the same with a film of the germicide. The same thing happens when an orderly, nurse, physician, surgeon or other person steps on the pad and this is specifically shown in FIGURE 6. In this case, the soles and heels of the shoes are coated with the germicide. The rubber extension or approach mats remove excess liquid from the wheels 'and/ or shoes so that the germicide is not tracked.

The mat of this invention is designed to be placed at the entrance doorway to an operating room or corridor leading to a series of operating rooms, as in some of the larger hospitals, and in actual use has been found to be exceedingly effective in greatly reducing or substantially eliminating the hospital equipment and personnel from taking pathogenic microorgaanisms into the operating area or theater.

It is further understood that the foregoing is intended as illustrative and not as limitative and that within the terms of the appended claims various modifications may be made without departing from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A germicidal mat comprising:

(a) a shallow tray for the reception of a liquid germicide composed of a rectangular bottom and an upstanding sidewall around said bottom terminating in flanges extending laterally outwardly :and inclined downwardly,

(b) a sponge rubber pad of the same area as the tray bottom and of a thickness substantially equal to the tray sidewall height, said pad having a plurality of spaced vertical apertures extending therethrough,

(c) a linoleum-like surface layer of the same area as the pad disposed on said pad and having apertures therethrough registering with the apertures in the p (d) a quadrangular frame resting on marginal portions of said surface layer and having outwardly and downwardly extending portions forming inclined ramps and in part overlying said tray flanges, and

(e) means for removably holding said flanges and ramps together to maintain (a), (b), (c) and (d) in assembled relationship.

2. A germicidal mat according to claim 1, in which the frame is provided with at least one friction strip thereon.

3. A germicidal mat according to claim 1, in which the underside of the tray bottom is provided with at least one friction strip.

4. A germicidal mat according to claim 1, in which the frame is provided with friction strips thereon and the underside of the tray bottom is provided with friction strips.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 702,061 6/1902 Holden 118-270 1,992,648 2/1935 Browne 2161 X 2,202,636 5/1940 McClelland 15-2l5 X 2,282,672 5/1942 Nelson 2l6l X 2,594,024 4/1952 Hyde 2191 X 2,602,724 7/1952 Batchelor 21-61 X 3,100,522 8/1963 McIntyre 152l5 X FOREIGN PATENTS 51,618 5/1910 Switzerland.

MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner.

J. ZATARGA, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A GERMICIDAL MAT COMPRISING: (A) A SHALLOW TRAY FOR THE RECEPTION OF A LIQUID GERMICIDE COMPOSED OF A RECTANGULAR BOTTOM AND AN UPSTANDING SIDEWELL AROUND SAID BOTTOM TERMINATING IN FLANGES EXTENDING LATERALLY OUTWARDLY AND INCLINED DOWNWARDLY, (B) A SPONGE RUBBER PAD OF THE SAME AREA AS THE TRAY BOTTOM AND OF A THICKNESS SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE TRAY SIDEWALL HEIGHT, SAID PAD HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED VERTICAL APERTURES EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, (C) A LINOLEUM-LIKE SURFACE LAYER OF THE SAME AREA AS THE PAD DISPOSED ON SAID PAD AND HAVING APERTURES THERETHROUGH REGISTERING WITH THE APERTURES IN THE PAD, (D) A GUADRANGULAR FRAME RESTING ON MARGINAL PORTIONS OF SAID SURFACE LAYER AND HAVING OUTWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING PORTIONS FORMING INCLINED RAMPS AND IN PART OVERLYING SAID TRY FLANGES, AND (E) MEANS FOR REMOVABLY HOLDING SAID FLANGES AND RAMPS TOGETHER TO MAINTAIN (A), (B), (C) AND (D) IN ASSEMBLED RELATIONSHIP. 